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Is your dental routine as good as it should be? If not, don’t worry! In this article, we’re going to share with you five simple ways that you can improve your dental routine and reap the rewards of a healthier mouth. With the hustle and bustle of day to day life, it’s easy to let good dental habits fall by the wayside. Thanks to modern technology and an abundance of easy-to-use dental products, it’s never been easier to keep up a good routine. Without further adieu, let’s dive right in and get your dental routine on track!

1. Take Advantage of Smartphone Apps

Aside from using smartphone apps for entertainment purposes, they can actually help you develop a healthy dental routine.

BrushDJ is a free app for both Android and iOS phones that plays a song selected by the user for 2 minutes during brushing. This is extremely helpful since it’s recommended that you brush your teeth for at least two minutes, and unless you have a timer, it’s hard to know exactly how long you’ve been brushing for. In addition, BrushDJ also reminds you to brush your teeth twice a day, encourages the use of floss and mouthwash, and can even remind you of your next dentist appointment or cleaning.

2. Use an Electric Toothbrush

We hate to say it, but manual toothbrushes are a thing of the past. With modern technology, electric toothbrushes have multiple benefits, including doing all of the hard work for you. The unique movements of electric toothbrushes are programmed to mimic good form and ensure your teeth are getting full surface coverage. With manual brushing, it’s easy to get distracted and miss entire areas, leaving plaque to eat away at enamel.

In fact, electric toothbrushes have been shown to have superior plaque removal over their manual counterparts. Many of the toothbrushes come with added features such as timers, indicators when you’re brushing too hard, and different brushing modes to accommodate for sensitive teeth, or even enhance whitening.

3. Waterpik Flossing

Forcing a piece of string between your teeth and down into your gums can sometimes be painful, but with a waterpik, your can adjust the intensity of the stream and make the experience gentler on your gums. This flexibility reduces the amount of discomfort you experience, increasing the chances that you’ll want to floss. This is especially true if you have braces or any other kind of obstructive dental work that makes the task of flossing a time consuming chore. Waterpiks can easily work their way into the tightest of spots to ensure no plaque is left behind.

In addition to comfort and convenience, waterpiks also perform better than string floss. Studies have actually found them to be 2x more effective than string floss. Though they’re a little more of an investment, waterpiks can greatly help to inspire an all around healthier dental routine.

4. Choose a Healthy Diet

Not only does your diet directly affect your weight, but it also affects your dental health depending on what you eat. Certain foods are more prone to getting stuck between your teeth and leaving harmful residues behind that can contribute to tooth decay amongst many other things. By avoiding sticky candies and foods that are dense in carbohydrates, you can greatly reduce the amount of plaque buildup that occurs.

It’s also good practice to avoid acidic foods that serve to weaken the enamel on your teeth, making them more susceptible to decay and the formation of cavities (or worse). To make the most of this tip, evaluate your current diet and focus on eating foods that can are actually healthy for your teeth such as cheese, carrots, leafy greens, and plenty more.

5. Rinse Your Mouth Before Brushing, Not After

While it only seems natural to give your teeth and good brushing and follow up with a cleansing rinse of mouthwash, in fact, it could be doing more harm than good. Most quality toothpastes are packed with ingredients that help keep your teeth healthy. One of the main beneficial ingredients in toothpaste is fluoride, which helps to prevent acid attacks and tooth decay.

Rinsing after you brush can actually remove fluoride from your teeth, leaving them vulnerable to harmful foods until your next brushing. For the best results, rinsing beforehand will help to loosen up any debris that you have stuck in your teeth and make overall plaque removal easier.

Good dental habits are important, but if you haven’t been to the dentist in a while that’s nothing to be ashamed of or worried about. You are always welcome at Inland Family Dentistry no matter how long it has been. We work with each patient to help alleviate dental fear and anxiety, and develop a treatment plan that is best suited for you.